An Innovative Approach to Cylinder Slot Gap Measurement for Aircraft Carriers

Foster Miller's Slot Measurement System (SMS) is a rugged, reliable, accurate and easy to use system for aircraft carrier catapult cylinder slot measurement. This system will combine Foster Miller's proven robotic technology experience with its carrier catapult design experience to achieve the optimal system for use by carrier personnel. The system consists of three major subcomponents; the vehicle (including measuring system), the base controller (including the Human Machine Interface or HMI) and the tether. The drive section uses the slot of the cylinder itself for traction and pulls the measurement device with it through the slot. The measuring device will employ a modified pin-gauge tool combined with an LVDT (linear variable differential transducer) or similar sensor inside to achieve the measurement accuracy required for this application. A microcontroller on the vehicle will control motion and continually monitor the gap distance. The HMI will employ a PDA allowing the operator to monitor the vehicle and gap information in real-time and store that data. A microcontroller on the vehicle will control motion and continually monitor the gap distance. (P-040200)